God Chooses Mom for Disabled Child
Written by: Erma Bombeck
September 1993
 
 
       Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social
          pressures, and a couple by habit. This year nearly 100,000 women will
          become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers
          of handicapped children are chosen?
          Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for
          propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs
          His angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth; son, Patron Saint
          Matthew. Forest, Janet; daughter, Patron Saint Cecelia. Myers, Carrie; twins,
          Patron Saint . . . give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
          He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child." The
          angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."
          "Excactly," smiles God. "Could I give a handicapped child a mother who does
          not know laughter? This would be cruel. "But does she have patience?" asks
          the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a
          sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll
          handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence
          that are so rare and necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give
          her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going
          to be easy."
          "But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles, "No matter, I
          can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel
          gasps. "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
          God nods. "If she can't seperate herself from the child occasionally, she'll
          never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than
          perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take
          forgranted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her
          child says "Mama" for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know
          it. When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as
          few people ever see my creations. I will permit her to see clearly the things I
          see; ignorance, cruelty, prejudice and allow her to rise above them. She will
          never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life
          because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
          "And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.
          God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."